The Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Galway is absolutely unique - the only port in the around the world 37,000 gruelling nautical sea miles race where the event will be powered by wind on land as well as at sea.

Designed and manufactured in Ireland by local Galway firm, C&F Wind-Energy (part of C&F group), two turbines will power the event using revolutionary new technology which allows them to harness wind at lower speeds than ever before.

Patented by C&F, that technology means they're capable of generating power from wind at speeds as low as 1.2 of a metre a second, as a result, the C&F turbines can generate power 350 days a year, outperforming current market offerings.

The key to that technological breakthrough is the first alternator ever to produce multiple power outputs concurrently - with the result that these turbines are typically capable of producing 40 percent more power than their existing competitors.

THE global industrial equipment group, C&F, has recently expanded into the design and manufacture of wind turbines. The company, which is owned by John Flaherty - who took the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2008 - is currently in the middle of a four-year €20 million investment programme, and the move into wind energy will mean the creation of 250 news jobs and the expansion of its Galway manufacturing headquarters - and making it the first company to fully design and build wind turbines in Ireland.

The new turbines will be marketed initially in a range of six sizes, from 6 kW to 50 kW, and the ultimate aim, says John Flaherty, owner and CEO of C&F Group, is to make clean wind energy available to domestic, agricultural and small business users at affordable prices - in Ireland and globally. The business plan is to build turbines up to 360kW competitively and efficiently.

"This move into wind energy and to be an original equipment manufacturer has been part of our global strategy for some time", says Flaherty, "I believe this world-beating technology will give us a real competitive edge in a tough global marketplace."

He anticipates that around 70 percent of the turbines made in Galway will be exported, mainly to the European market.

The US market is expected to be supplied by from a new facility that C&F plans to build there next year - adding to its existing infrastructure in, China, The Philippines and Czech Republic.

The move into wind energy is another milestone for John Flaherty, who, after winning the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award last year, will now represent Ireland at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in Monte Carlo at the end of this month.

He first set up C&F in 1989, spotting a gap in the Irish market for industrial equipment and tools - which was being serviced at the time largely by companies based in the UK and Germany. The group's growth since the start of the new millennium has been rapid, with turnover quadrupling between 2000 and 2007.

"We are entering the renewable energy market with a range of superior micro-wind turbines which will revolutionise domestic and international industry", said Ray Leavy, Chief Executive of C&F Wind division. "Our alternators boast a much higher efficiency factor than anything currently available in the renewable energy market, he added.

The new C&F turbines are on display at the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway. Two 10 kW models will help power the on-shore race village - the first time the high-profile race has been powered by wind on land as well as at sea.